Hundreds of thousands of East Coast residents had moved to higher ground on Monday, and cities announced shutdowns that typically occur after several feet of snow, as the mammoth storm system known as Hurricane Sandy conspired to assault the most populous part of the United States, The Washington Post reported.
The Washington region's entire public transit system - Metro, Virginia Railway Express and the Maryland Transportation System - ceased Monday operations, leaving residents to either drive themselves to work or stay home. Schools, colleges and universities shut their doors, in anticipation of power outages and dangerous road conditions, and some announced they would be closed Tuesday and Wednesday as well.